1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for analyzing state transition in a Web page. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus, system, and program for dynamically analyzing state transition in a Web page that utilizes DHTML.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, Dynamic HTML (DHTML, a registered trademark) has been widely employed that can provide interactivity in Web pages by means of JAVA®SCRIPT (a registered trademark). By using DHTML, it is possible to provide a pull-down menu in a Web page or to verify items input to a form in a Web page. This enables a Web page to have functions equivalent to typical applications.
Although “HTML” and “JAVA®SCRIPT” mentioned above are registered trademarks, indication of registered trademark will be omitted in the following description.
Under such a circumstance, techniques for checking behavior of a Web page have been provided.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for enabling recording/reproduction of a user's operations on a Web browser or execution of a form with input values to it varied. With this technique, it is possible to efficiently collect results of input of various values to a particular form.
Patent Document 2 proposes a technique for checking a user interface based on an external specification form or screen transition information preliminarily prepared.
[Patent Document 1] Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-76266
[Patent Document 2] Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-280231
However, the technique of Patent Document 1 has problems that at least one input operation to a form needs to be performed or significant effort is required for checking collected results. In addition, when there are a plurality of interactive elements in a Web page or an interactive element is present in an element that newly appears in response to a certain operation, it is difficult to carry out all operations comprehensively and check all results.
The technique of Patent Document 2 has a problem in that it assumes that information like specifications is prepared and the information is manually input. It is also difficult to check operation series that deviates from prepared information (i.e., operation series that are not given beforehand).
Thus, in a Web page that uses DHTML, its functions and behavior in response to a user's action are difficult to check or test.
Since behavior of DHTML varies with browser implementation, it is often the case that the type of a browser is identified and operation of DHTML is switched. There is no known technique for checking difference in behavior among various platforms.
It is also known that accessibility is difficult to confirm in a Web page that uses DHTML. For example, while it is possible to confirm whether one can operate a portion for which certain processing is caused by JAVA®SCRIPT without resorting to a device such as a mouse, accessibility of the Web page that results from the operation is difficult to check.
To improve accessibility of a Web page that uses DHTML and allow it to operate in conjunction with Assistive Technology (AT) software such as a screen reader, it is required that information such as role and state is set for each element that uses DHTML.
However, there has been no technique for efficiently carrying out information assignment to existing contents that have no such information given and/or a technique for verifying such information provided by a Web page creator.
In view of such situations, one object of the invention is to provide a method that can allow a tester to efficiently check behavior of a Web page that utilizes DHTML or difference in behavior of a Web page among various browsers, or assign information relating to accessibility in the Web page or verify the appropriateness.